1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic transmission locking mechanism for parking and more particularly to an automatic transmission locking mechanism for an automatic transmission of a reduced axial dimension for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In most front-engine front-drive automobiles (designated as "FF automobiles" hereinafter), the engine is mounted transversely. Accordingly, the axial dimension of an automatic transmission for an FF automobile is required to be reduced, particularly when the engine is mounted transversely. Most conventional automatic transmission locking mechanisms interlocked with a manual shift lever employ the following constitution. That is, a lever is joined integrally to a manual shaft which is turned through the manual operation of a manual shift lever, the rear end of a cam rod provided intermediately with a cam is linked to the lever, a pawl with a detent is pushed up when the cam is caused to run on a slope formed in a bracket supporting the front portion of the cam rod extending forward from the cam, whereby the detent engages with a parking gear fixed to the output shaft of the transmission to lock the output shaft. Since the long rod extending forward from the cam is liable to increase the axial dimension of the automatic transmission, such a conventional automatic transmission locking mechanism is unsuitable for an automatic transmission for FF automobiles, in which the axial dimension of the automatic transmission is restricted.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic transmission locking mechanism for parking suitably applicable to an automatic transmission of a reduced axial dimension for an FF automobile, in which the overall length of the cam rod is reduced significantly as compared with that of the conventional cam rod and thereby the axial dimension of the locking mechanism is reduced.
An automatic transmission locking mechanism according to the present invention includes a cam rod provided at the front end thereof with a cam of a predetermined shape and interlocked at the rear end thereof with a manual shift lever, a sleeve supporting and guiding the cam rod for smooth axial movement and a pawl provided with a detent, wherein the pawl is pushed with the cam of the cam rod through the axial movement of the cam rod, whereby the detent is engaged with the parking gear of the automatic transmission to lock the automatic transmission.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.